


Snitches, Stairs and Stomach Aches

by Arbelly



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Hurt Harry, Severitus | Severus Snape is Harry Potter's Parent, Sickfic, Vomiting, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:21:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27524518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arbelly/pseuds/Arbelly
Summary: Bludgers and curses ensure Harry has a pretty terrible time. Luckily he has one Severus Snape to turn to.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 125





	Snitches, Stairs and Stomach Aches

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading, I'd love to hear what you think :)

Snitches, Stairs and Stomach aches

Harry had never danced before but he thought it must feel something like this, gliding and diving, each movement flowing perfectly into the next. A sharp plunge toward the ground stopped a bludger knocking him off his broom, soaring up, high into the sky where he could observe the perfect randomness of the match below his keen eyes caught a glimmer. With the grace of a ballerina Harry dove down into the mess of players, darting between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff players alike until he could almost feel the win. With the snitch only meters in front of him, Harry’s focus was sharp, his arm reaching out before him closed his fingers around the golden snitch. Before the snitch had even stilled in his hand Harry was thrown from his broom by an incredible force. 

Harry became aware of voices nearby but his eyes felt too heavy to pry open. His mind was foggy and confusion had set in. He was in pain but couldn’t narrow it down to a particular spot, he tried to open his eyes again, this time with a little more success. He wasn’t wearing his glasses although he doubted his vision would have been any clearer even if he was. As he lay there unable to move, or work out where he was or what was going on the panic began to rise. He felt as though he was still sleeping and he couldn’t wake, like if he screamed no sound would come out. Just when he was sure he couldn’t take it any longer he heard the deep dulcet tones of his guardian. The other voices that he hadn’t been able to identify disappeared and in the silence Harry slowly opened his eyes. Even with his blurred vision he could easily recognise the figure standing over him. He tried to talk but was met with a weak rasp. 

‘You took a bludger to the side and fell 20 feet onto the Quidditch pitch, you’re in the hospital wing.’ Snape was never one for pleasantries, but Harry appreciated his directness. Harry nodded slightly to show he understood, but regretted it as pain shot through his skull at the movement. 

‘We couldn’t give you any more pain relievers until you woke up, I’ll go speak to Poppy now.’ The potions master didn’t wait for a response before walking off. Harry stared up at the high ceiling trying to keep his eyes open until his guardian returned, blinking to try and clear his vision slightly, he felt wetness on his face and realised they were tears. Wanting to remove them quickly he tried to move, to lift an arm but before his arm had even left the bed he felt excruciating pain down the right side of his body. That must have been where the bludger hit. Harry tried to breathe through the pain but his chest was so tight and his lungs wouldn’t give. He lay there feeling paralysed, panting for breath when he felt a solid hand lay gently on his chest.

‘Calm down. We are going to administer something for the pain, then we can tend to the remaining injuries.’ Snape's voice was cool but calming and Harry focussed on the feeling of his hand. Moments later Harry felt the tingle of magic rush over him followed by a cold sensation through his veins, and as the feeling spread through his body the pain faded and his mind cleared. He let out a deep breath and a sigh of relief then turned to look up at Snape.

‘Thank you,’ he sighed. Afraid to move his right arm, Harry used his left to prop himself up in the bed. Snape put a strong arm behind him to help before arranging the pillows for Harry to lean back against. 

‘Careful, we still have to mend some broken bones.’ Snape warned as he handed Harry his glasses. Harry quickly wiped any remaining tears from his face as he put on his glasses, finally he could see. He looked down at himself, he was still in his Quidditch uniform which looked in good enough condition, the fall couldn’t have been that bad if there wasn’t any blood or mud, plus the pain was pretty much gone. A proper look at his guardian told a different story though, the man was much paler than normal and the deep lines in his face painted a story of great concern, his eyes were earnest and worried, the cold facade he usually donned was far from sight. 

‘A bad one?’ Harry asked. 

‘Quite.’ The older man replied. Harry felt the man grasp his hand, and from that action he knew he was lucky to be alive. 

Thanks to the miracle of magical healing, Harry was back in the Great Hall a week and a half later. Everyone knew that Qudditch could be a dangerous sport but school matches rarely resulted in fatalities or serious injury, so Harry’s severe accident was quite the talking point. 

‘So how’re ya feeling mate?’ Ron asked over breakfast.

‘Good, a bit sore but apparently magic can’t fix organ bruising, so I just have to wait.’ Harry shrugged.

‘Oh yeah, just a bit of organ bruising, no worries.’ Ron mocked. Harry chuckled but winced at the movement. 

‘Ah, don’t make me laugh.’ He whined with a smile. 

‘When can you fly again?’ Neville asked from across the table

‘Um, not for a few more weeks at least. Madam Pomphrey said she has to give the all clear first.’ Harry moved his eggs around on his plate, he didn’t have much appetite. 

‘Thanks for catching the golden snitch before you checked out buddy.’ George said as he sat down nearby. 

‘Yeah, that was a solid move Harry.’ Fred added sitting next to his brother. 

‘Oh yeah, anytime.’ Harry called back sarcastically. 

‘Good to see you back Harry.’ Katie said with a smile as she passed him. Harry returned her smile. If he was being completely honest, he wasn’t hating all the attention. 

As he and his friends finished up breakfast, Hermione offered a helping hand which he gratefully accepted, as he stood from the bench. They bid farewell as they headed to their respective classes, Ron and Harry off to Care of Magical Creatures and Hermione to her Ancient Runes class. Still moving quite slowly, Ron kept pace with Harry, they knew they were never going to make it down in time but figured they had a decent excuse. 

‘Hey, is everything okay with Hermione, she seemed very quiet?’ Harry asked Ron as they walked down the steep hill towards class. 

‘Yeah, she was just really worried, we all were, but she can’t stop replaying the moment in her mind. You fell hard, man, I thought that bludger was gonna go straight through you.’ Ron’s tone was gentle, he and Hemione had been together for awhile now and it was clear the whole thing had affected them more than Harry had realised. They continued their journey in silence. 

All his teachers were patient and understanding, Harry was pretty sure he could get away with anything at this point, it was actually a little annoying. That evening he returned to the Gryffindor common room for the first time since the accident, everyone wanted to talk to him and he happily answered their questions and made jokes. The exhaustion of his first day back soon hit and he casually excused himself to the dormitory. He quickly changed into his sleep clothes knowing that if he laid down he would not want to get up again and gratefully climbed into his bed. He lay there in the silence but sleep wouldn’t come, he soon heard his dorm mates quietly get themselves ready and hop into bed, still sleep didn’t come, he could now hear the faint snores of his friends all blissfully in the land of dreams and still he lay awake. He was not aware of ever drifting to sleep however suddenly he was flying, high above the castle and then he was falling and then he was awake. Harry sat up in his bed, pain radiating down the whole right side of his body, centred just below his ribs. He wrapped an arm around his midsection and took some deep breaths. Swinging his legs off the side of his bed, he put on his glasses and slowly bent down to grab the hoodie laying on the ground. Pulling on the hoodie he rose and left the dorm, walking down the stairs through the common room and out the portrait hole. Before he had thought about what he was doing he was standing in the dungeons before the door to Snape's private quarters, their private quarters. Harry knocked on the door, he thought perhaps Snape wasn’t going to answer, but eventually the door creaked open. Snape didn’t say anything when he opened the door, he simply moved aside for Harry to enter. Failing to actually plan his actions Harry found himself lost for words, he still wasn’t exactly sure why he had come down here. Snape relieved the pressure when he led the way into the kitchen and put on the kettle. Harry sat down at the table and looked around, he saw a faint glow of light coming from the study and felt relieved to know he hadn’t woken the man, just interrupted his work. 

‘How was your first day back?’ Snape's voice was low and quiet. 

‘It was good, everyone wanted to talk about the match,’ Harry responded casually. ‘I have a lot of work to catch up on.’ He added quietly. 

‘Hmm’ Snape hummed with a nod as he placed a cup of tea in front of the boy and took a seat. ‘You’re recovery is the priority.’ 

Harry knew things had pretty much been turned on their head since Severus became his guardian and it had been a long and difficult journey to get to the place they were at now, but even he was shocked to hear the man prioritise anything above studies. Harry couldn’t stop the small chuckle. The side of Snape's mouth turned up in an amused smirk. ‘How do you feel?’ Severus asked earnestly. 

‘Fine, I mean it still hurts but it’s alright.’ Harry answered with a yawn, absentmindedly wrapping his arm across to rub his side. 

‘It’s late, go to bed Harry,’ Severus stood, Harry nodded wearily and did the same. ‘Do you need a pain reliever, or something to help you sleep?’ 

Harry thought for a moment before shaking his head in the negative, the pain was manageable and he was sure he would be able to drift off in the comfort of their quarters. Harry yawned again and left Severus in the kitchen as he entered his bedroom. As soon as his body hit the luxurious duvet and his head landed on the cloud-like pillows he was out. 

The next morning Harry slowly made his way out into the kitchen where his guardian was reading the daily prophet, it had now been the longest time he had gone without a pain reliever since the accident and Harry was well aware of it. His body and movements were slow and calculated and as he stiffly sat down with a wince. Severus looked over his paper at the boy and frowned in concern, ‘still that bad?’ he asked. 

‘Oh, na it’s just from sleeping, my muscles have just tensed up a bit.’ Harry gently tried to stretch his arms up and his body to the side. Severus didn’t look convinced but he didn’t push the matter further. 

‘Will you be returning this evening?’ the man asked, keeping his eyes on the newspaper in front of him. Harry wasn’t sure how to respond, he would very much like to come back and stay here, but he knew it would attract unwanted attention if he was away from the dorm for too long. 

‘No, not tonight.’ He finally answered. He received a curt nod in response. Harry looked at his bare wrist where his watch usually sat and frowned. 

‘It’s half seven.’ Snape provided. 

‘Thanks, I better head back up and get ready. See you in class.’ Harry rose and gave a wave as he made his way toward the door. 

‘Indeed.’ Came his professors' curt reply. Severus had never been one for pleasantries but Harry had learnt to read between the lines and he knew that the man cared greatly for him, probably more so than he would ever admit. Harry didn’t have quite as difficult a time being honest with himself about the importance of their relationship, Harry looked to the man like a father and the dungeon bat had become a great source of comfort and happiness for him. 

No one questioned Harry’s whereabouts as he emerged from the dorm ready for the day, perhaps they hadn’t really noticed his absence. The day went by quickly, Harry had been right, once his body loosened up a bit the pain in his side was much less noticeable. Recovery and flying were beginning to appear on the horizon, well that was until the gryffindor and slytherin students were making their way to the final class of the day, potions. Malfoy and his goons were in fine form, shooting insults at the gryffindors left right and centre. 

‘Oh Potter, you know you’re meant to stay ON the broomstick right?’ Blaise would call. 

‘But Blaise, if he had done that we wouldn’t have had the pleasure of listening to the snap and crunch of his bones as he hit the pitch’ Draco crooned. Hermione tensed at this, the memory clearly still fresh in her mind. At her reaction Ron shot around and aimed a bat-bogey hex at the slytherins, unfortunately for Goyle it struck him straight on. In retaliation Draco sent a leg-locker curse that hit Harry’s back, Harry’s legs sprung together by an unseen force sending him flying forwards down the stairs leading to the dungeons. The initial impact was fierce, he barely got his arms out in front of him to save his face, his momentum and the sharp decline of the stairwell saw his legs swinging over his head making him somewhat somersault down the stairs, his body being flung into the stone walls either side of the narrow stairs. With a final echoing thud he landed face down at the bottom of the stairs, complete silence fell, the surrounding students in utter shock. Harry let out a low moan, snapping everyone from their trance, his friends raced down the stairs to his side, others called for their professor. Harry rolled slightly to his side, legs still locked together, his eyes were clenched shut and he curled in on himself in agony, only silent panting cries escaping him. The crowd of students around him cleared to make way as Snape came billowing down the corridor. 

‘To the Great Hall. All of you.’ The potions master commanded, in a tone that would make aurors tremble. A stern yet meaningful look at Ron and Hermione sent the reluctant friends away. Snape knelt beside Harry. ‘Just breathe Harry.’ With a skillful wave of his wand, Harry’s legs were freed and a floating stretcher was conjured under him. 

A patronus was sent ahead of them to prepare Poppy, once in the hospital wing, the medi-witch immediately administered a sedation potion before performing the diagnostic spells. ‘Three broken ribs, possible concussion, fractured wrist and some pretty intense bruising. This has not been a good term for Mr Potter.’ Madam Pomphrey announced as she looked over the results of the tests.’

‘What about his previous injuries?’ Snape asked not looking up from the boy.

‘I can have him healed up by tonight, these injuries aren’t too serious, but it will have sent his recovery backwards a bit. I don’t think he will be flying again this season.’ 

‘Send for me when he wakes up. I have some students to deal with.’ Snape turned away with a murderous look on his face and Poppy almost felt sorry for the students having to face his wrath. Any fleeting feeling of sympathy vanished as the witch healed Harry’s broken bones for the second time in as many weeks. 

The hospital wing was flooded with golden light as Harry woke up. Based upon the setting sun he guessed it was around dinner time, pleased with the absence of pain Harry pushed himself up on the bed until he was sitting upright. Putting on his glasses he saw Madam Pomphrey bustling over to him, her features were firm but he had now become quite accustomed to her bedside manner and found her presence very comforting. 

‘How are you feeling Harry?’ She asked, waving her wand and casting a number of complex spells over him. 

‘I feel good.’ He answered, taking stock of his body. 

‘Pain anywhere?’ Madam Pomphrey gave Harry a stern look. 

‘Nope, I feel fine.’ Harry wasn’t lying and she accepted his genuine response. 

‘Very well. I believe Severus wants to speak to you. I’ll let him know you are awake, and then you may return to your dormitory if you wish.’ Without waiting for a response Poppy made straight for her office. Harry smiled to himself, he couldn’t help but enjoy hearing his guardian referred to by his name rather than Professor Snape, it felt so much warmer. Shocked at how tired he was after just waking up, Harry decided to lay back down and rest while he waited for Severus. Rolling onto his side, so he had a clear view of the entrance Harry tried to replay the incident in his mind. He knew he had gone flying down the stairs after being hit with a leg-locker curse, presumably sent by Malfoy, but he couldn’t make out the details of why the curse had been sent his way. He vaguely recalled lying crumpled up on the dungeon floors, it had hurt, had he cried? Oh Merlin he hoped he hadn’t cried. Flopping down the dungeon stairs like a fish out of water was embarrassing enough as it was. The sound of footsteps approaching from the corridor pulled Harry’s attention and he sat back up as Severus swooped into the hospital wing. His expression was unreadable as he approached Harry. 

‘How are you feeling?’ The question sounded more like a demand and Harry felt himself recoil slightly. This didn’t go unnoticed and Severus reached out and placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder, ‘I apologise-’ the man sighed deeply before continuing, ‘are you alright?’ The question was gentle and Harry relaxed.

‘Yes, I’m fine.’ Harry nodded. 

‘You know, we really don’t need to make a habit out of this.’ Severus looked around the hospital wing and smiled. Harry let out a small chuckle. 

‘So, what happened?’ He asked.

‘You were victim to a leg-locking curse which sent you tumbling all the way down to the bottom of the dungeon steps.’ 

‘Yeah, I thought so. Knowing me I probably deserved the curse.’ Harry laughed. 

‘I would usually agree, however on this particular occasion you were not the intended target, but rather your friend Mr Weasley.’ 

‘Oh’ Harry said thoughtfully. ‘What did he do?’

‘I did not bother myself with the drama and gossip of the situation.’ Severus said with mock exasperation. 

‘Oh right, yeah.’ Harry had not picked up on Severus' attempt at satire, obviously concerned with the finer details of the event. Severus frowned slightly. 

‘You were there, do you not remember what happened?’ his concern grew slightly. It wasn’t uncommon to suffer minor memory loss after a head injury and Harry had definitely hit his head on the way down but the lack of detail was clearly bothering the boy. 

‘I remember falling and not being able to gain control or stop myself, and I remember laying on the dungeon floor. What happened when you got there?’ 

‘I sent the other students to the Great Hall and brought you straight here.’ Severus answered.

‘Right.’ Harry brought a hand up and rubbed the back of his neck. 

‘What do you want to do?’ Severus asked. 

‘What do you mean?’

‘Are you hungry? Do you want to head to the Great Hall for dinner, or do you want to stay here and sleep? What do you want to do?’ Severus had thought the question was obvious enough without explanation. Perhaps all these falls were killing the boys brain cells.

‘Ah, no, I’m not hungry. Maybe I’ll just head back to the dorm now?’ Harry looked up at his guardian for approval. 

‘Was that a question or a decision?’ 

‘A decision.’ Harry rolled his eyes, even when he was in a hospital bed the man would still taunt him. 

In the Gryffindor dormitory Harry relaxed down into his bed, he was alone, it was still quite early but he was exhausted and a slight pain was returning to his side. He couldn’t tell if it was the remaining trauma from the Quidditch accident or if it was from the broken ribs caused by today's fall. Madam Pomphrey had warned him that the pain draught would wear off, but assured him he could return for more if necessary. Curling into his side hoping to alleviate the dull pain, Harry closed his eyes and hoped sleep would come quickly. 

Flying high above the Quidditch pitch Harry felt the familiar ice cold feeling of the leg-locker curse hitting his back, he was thrown from his broom, legs pulled together mid-air, he is falling, his body twisting through the air, a bludger strikes his side sending him spiralling, the ground growing closer, then he meets the dungeon floor. Harry's eyes spring open, sure enough he is safely in his bed, he is covered in sweat and the pain in his side is radiating across his midsection. He looks around and realises he must have only just fallen asleep as the other boys have not yet come to bed. Instinctively he wants to head down to the dungeons and stay in the quarters, but he will not allow himself to go running to Sev just because he had a nightmare, he was far too old for that. However, he thought, the bed in his quarters is much softer, so it would probably be better for his injuries, and Severus would probably have a pain reliever. Given the current circumstances Harry decided that it was best to just go down and stay in the dungeons, he tried to convince himself that he wasn’t just justifying the journey because being closer to Severus kept the nightmares at bay. 

Harry was lucky enough to only run into a pair of seventh year Slyhterins on his way down into the dungeons, they gave him no trouble, a sign of the great respect they held for their head of house. The glow of candle light radiating from Snape's office told Harry that the man had not yet retired to their quarters. Sticking his head through the partially open door, Harry rapped his knuckles against the wood. The potions master looked up at the sound, seeming mildly surprised to see his ward standing in his office entryway. 

‘Hey, sorry Sev. I was just wondering if I might be able to stay down here again tonight?’ Harry asked somewhat awkwardly, he was sure the man could read his mind sometimes and he was definitely embarrassed to be coming down because of a bad dream. 

‘Of course, is everything alright?’ A slight furrow formed in the man's brow. Harry just nodded and gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile. ‘You are keyed into the wards, you can come and go as you please, no need to ask permission, those quarters are as much yours as they are mine.’ Severus explained as though it were as obvious as a flying car. 

Harry felt a small smile form on his lips. ‘Thank you,’ he breathed softly as he turned out of the office. Harry felt warmth spread through his chest as he walked to their quarters, he thought this must be what going home after a tough day felt like. 

Entering the quarters Harry saw it had not even reached eight o’clock, yet his body and mind yearned for the comfort of his bed. He wandered slowly through the living space toward his bedroom, it felt strange being alone in what was once his most despised teachers home, oh how far they had come. Part of him thought it would be nice to just sit by the fireplace for a moment, but he knew that if he did, it would be a struggle not to fall asleep where he sat. In his room Harry pulled back the covers on the bed, the movement sent a stabbing pain through his side and he took a sharp intake of breath before hissing in pain. He had neglected to ask Severus for a pain reliever and the thought of the journey back out to the man’s office made him dizzy, he wouldn’t feel the pain once he was asleep. With that thought Harry gently lowered himself into the bed, curling up on his side. The comfort of the quarters saw Harry swiftly into sleep. 

Harry was weeding the yard at number 4 Privet Dr when he heard Dudley and his friends coming around from the back. He kept his head down hoping to avoid their attention, unfortunately for him they were clearly bored and in search of some entertainment. Harry was sure they were firing insults his way but he couldn’t really make out the words, he didn’t even have time to prepare himself before Dudley sent a big booted foot his way. The kick swung up and clocked Harry right in his stomach, he fell back in pain, wrapping his arms around himself. The boys vanished, and he could hear his uncle yelling. 

‘Oi, boy, what do you think you’re doing?’ Vernon’s voice grew louder. ‘Don’t ignore me!’ He yelled. ‘Harry… Harry’ The voice slowly transformed as Harry was pulled from sleep and the unfortunate dream he had found himself in. ‘Harry, wake up.’ Harry pulled his eyes open to see Severus standing over him. 

‘You’ve been asleep for well over twelve hours now, I know it is the weekend but you can’t sleep all day.’ Severus pulled open Harry’s curtains illuminating the room before leaving Harry to get himself up. 

Harry dawdled from his room to the kitchen table, joining Severus, who didn’t look up from what he was reading. ‘Good morning,’ Severus droned. 

‘Good morning.’ Harry sighed in response. ‘Hey, can I ask you a question?’ 

‘You just did.’ Severus drawled, still not meeting Harry’s gaze. 

Harry ignored the quip, ‘how long should it take for the bruising and stuff to heal?’

‘I expect you would have seen some improvement by now had you not taken yet another fall.’ Severus finally looked up and appraised the boy.

‘You don’t have to say it like that.’ Harry muttered

‘Like what?’

‘Like I’m an elderly person who took a tumble, I was thrown off my broom by a bludger and sent flying down the stairs by a curse, none of it was really my fault.’ 

‘I didn’t say it was.’

‘Well it sounded like it.’ Harry snapped. Severus raised an eyebrow, giving Harry a questioning look. Harry sighed. ‘I’m sorry, it just still really hurts. I don’t mean to be grumpy, I’m just really tired of it.’

‘That is understandable. Where is the pain?’ Severus asked in concern

‘My side.’ Harry rubbed a hand down his right side from his ribs to his hip. Severus conjured a pain reliever that he set down in front of Harry. 

‘That’s the side that was struck by the bludger, you also broke three of those ribs on your way down the stairs. We can always go back to Poppy and have her reinvestigate to ensure we didn’t miss something?’

‘I’m sure it will be fine,’ Harry assured as he downed the pain reliever in one go. Ignoring the breakfast laid on the table, Harry retrieved his potions book from his room and settled down in one of the large plush armchairs by the fire. Working through the assigned reading, Harry paid close attention, he had never had parental pressure to succeed but now the last thing he wanted was to disappoint the man who was sacrificing so much to care for him. The mutual respect they now showed each other in class had also played a significant role in the considerable improvement of Harry’s marks. With only a page remaining of the chapter he was working through Harry found himself re-reading the same sentence over and over, his eyes had gradually grown heavy in the comfort of the chair, the warmth emanating from the fire only amplified the call to sleep. 

The cool and calming feel of long fingers on his forehead pulled him swiftly from the darkness. He opened his eyes as Severus pulled his hand away, his brow furrowed in concern. ‘You feel a little warm,’ the man muttered. 

‘Probably because I’m sitting in front of a fire,’ Harry laughed, pushing himself up from where he had slid down in the armchair. Severus didn’t look convinced. ‘I’m just tired, it’s been a crazy couple of weeks.’ Harry reassured. 

‘Mmm,’ Severus hummed in agreement, finally diverting his scrutinizing gaze. If Harry was being honest with himself, he wasn’t feeling great, his body felt weak, he had no appetite and was completely exhausted, but what did one expect after all he had been through recently. He didn’t see any reason in making himself an even bigger burden on the man, so he resolved to push through the recovery process without complaint. 

‘Come on, get dressed, we’re going for a walk.’ Severus instructed. 

‘A walk where?’ Harry asked in confusion. 

‘Around the grounds, your body will have stiffened up from lack of movement, it will be good for your recovery.’ Severus didn’t allow time for a rebuttal before sweeping off into his study. Harry pulled himself up from the chair and fought the impulse to double over as a sharp pain shot through his side. Severus was right, Harry’s body sore and it took him an awfully long time to get changed. 

After walking around the far side of the quidditch pitch and back down towards the great lake in a comfortable silence Severus took a seat on one of the benches overlooking the water. Without a word he passed Harry a sandwich. Harry accepted the food and tried not to linger on the fact that they were technically having a picnic right now. Harry was far from hungry but knew better than to refuse, it would be unwise to think the keen eyed professor hadn’t noticed the skipped breakfast. Harry let out a sigh, relaxing into the wooden seat, Severus had set a brisk pace and Harry had been determined to keep up much to his body's displeasure. ‘You should try to catch up in some of your classes this weekend.’ 

‘That’s the plan.’

‘I’m sure Miss Granger could be of assistance.’

‘Yeah, she said she would help.’ Harry distractedly took a bite from his lunch. They fell into silence once again. 

That afternoon Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room, true to her word Hermione helped him cover the missed content. They had worked well into the night and Harry collapsed onto his bed in the dormitory without even considering returning to the dungeons. 

Harry awoke in darkness, the sound of his friends quiet snores off to the side, he was immediately aware of the increased pain he was feeling. For the first time he started to worry that the stabbing pain in his side may be something other than the bruising sustained by his accidents. Pulling aside his bed curtains he could see the sky was a deep grey, it was early, very early. Harry gently climbed from his bed and made his way to the bathroom, he was freezing and the shivering wasn’t helping with the pain. Harry tried to relieve himself but was only met with more pain surging through his lower abdomen, this pain threatened to knock him off his feet. Panting and trying to suppress the groans of pain Harry made his way back, falling onto his bed and curling himself in a ball as he hoped the sun would rise soon. He had never known great comfort when he was ill or injured, but in this moment Harry wanted nothing more than his guardians support. He knew he could go to the hospital wing right now and Madam Pomphrey would be there to help but some childish part of him just wanted to go to Severus first and have the man handle the situation for him. He wasn’t sure how long he lay there, somewhere on the border of sleep, but soon the sun had risen above the surrounding mountain range and birds were singing their morning songs. The pain had subsided in his immobility, and Harry felt glad he had not run off and woken anyone to help him in his state of panic. Sure it was but an overreaction, Harry slowly rose with the other boys in the dorm. Hesitant in his movements, fearful of doing anything that may cause the pain to return, Harry was slow in showering and dressing. 

As Harry descended the stairs into the Entrance Hall, his friends already at breakfast he saw Severus heading back down to the dungeons. The two caught each other's eyes and Severus halted, waiting for Harry to reach him. ‘How are you feeling?’ The man's voice was steady but the concern was evident. 

‘Not good.’ Harry groaned honestly. From the look on Severus’s face Harry must look terrible, there was no point in lying. The effort of getting ready and heading down from Gryffindor tower had taken its toll and he felt ready to collapse. 

‘Come on.’ Severus said firmly, guiding Harry down into the dungeons with him. 

In their quarters Severus sat Harry down on the couch, the room was warm, the fire blazing and yet Harry was shivering. Severus reached across the boy and pulled the large emerald green blanket off the top of the couch and handed it to him. Harry wrapped it gratefully around himself as Severus placed a cool hand on his forehead. ‘Well, when it rains, it pours.’ 

‘Hmm?’ Harry looked up at the man in confusion. 

‘You are ill Harry,’ Severus offered. ‘Surely you had figured that much out yourself.’ The words were cold but lacked the man's usual bite. 

‘No it’s just the injuries, I just need more rest.’ Harry argued through chattering teeth.

‘Would you care to enlighten me?’ Severus looked at the boy expectantly. ‘How exactly does a fall down the stairs result in a fever?’ the man's words dripped with disdain. Harry recoiled slightly, he hadn’t been expecting sympathy but being berated for his poor health was a little too familiar. 

‘Two major accidents each causing significant injuries within such a short time frame, the stress of missing so many classes as a result of said accidents, the fact that I’ve barely slept since that damn bludger nearly tore straight through me, is it so unfeasible that the pure exhaustion I feel could cause a slight fever?’ The words burst from Harry and he thanked Merlin that his voice didn’t crack, as he felt his eyes grow hot. There was no way he was going to allow himself to cry in front of Severus Snape, he knew it was probably the fevers work but he would not permit the tears to fall. Harry looked away as he tried to regain whatever composure he could. 

‘That… is a fair point.’ Severus said slowly. Harry’s eyes shot to the man and he continued, ‘very unlikely but not totally  _ unfeasible _ .’ He gave the boy a small sly smile. Harry rolled his eyes, of course the man would tease him, it had however, released the tension in the room, which Harry supposed was his aim. ‘You are correct about needing rest, you can stay here and I’ll get a fever reducer, any other complaints?’ 

‘My side, it feels like it’s getting worse.’ Harry winced. 

‘That could be the decrease in pain reliever you are taking, I’ll collect one.’ The man disappeared from Harry’s field of vision and the boy pulled the blanket tighter. It took longer than Harry expected for his guardian to return with the potions but Harry swallowed them readily when they were handed over. ‘Would you like me to have your books sent down?’ Severus asked, taking the empty vials from Harry.

‘Yes please.’ Harry answered without much thought. Severus nodded and left the boy on the couch. Harry sat there in the middle of the three seater staring into the fire, he let himself fall sideways, his head landing on the cushion beside him, feet still resting on the floor. 

When Harry opened his eyes he saw his books sitting on the coffee table in front of him, he was inclined to just close his eyes again but he couldn’t ignore the awful rising feeling in his chest, unlike the pain in his side this was the unmistakable feeling of nausea. Dread filled Harry’s heart, the lack of appetite, the fever and now this, he was definitely ill. Harry slowly lifted himself up into a sitting position, being careful not to jostle his stomach, the change in orientation made matters worse and the future became inevitable. Severus was sitting in the armchair nearby reading the newspaper, unaware of Harry’s current predicament. He slowly stood up, keeping a hand resting on his stomach. Severus looked over his paper, surprised by the movement from the previously sleeping boy. ‘Harry?’ 

Harry shook his head, ‘Oh no, I don’t feel so good.’ The words sounded panicked and Severus stood reaching out a hand. 

‘Okay, it’s alright.’ The man offered, but Harry had already turned,and was heading straight to the bathroom. Harry knelt before the toilet and promptly began to empty the content of his stomach, as he quietly heaved over the bowl, Severus knelt beside him, rubbing a strong hand on his back and muttering reassurances. With tears streaming down his face, Harry accepted the glass of water he was offered. After pulling himself together Harry followed Severus back to the couch, where he now found his pillow and duvet. ‘Unless you would rather your bed?’ Severus asked with a questioning look at the couch. Harry laid down on the couch in response. Severus set a large copper cauldron on the floor by Harry’s head with a sympathetic smile. ‘I’m afraid it’s a bit late for a stomach soother.’ Severus returned to his place by the fire as Harry closed his eyes once again. 

It was the slight tingle of magic running through his body that woke him this time, Harry opened his eyes to see Madam Pomphrey reading over the results of her diagnostic spells. 

‘Nothing here, I’m not picking up anything, no virus, no curse, no poison.’ The medi-witch informed Severus. 

‘So what? We just wait?’ Severus asked coldly. 

‘Perhaps the boy is right, perhaps it is just exhaustion.’ Madam Pomphrey packed away her tools. ‘Send him to me if you can’t handle it.’ The witch matched Severus icy tone as she left the quarters. 

‘I’m sorry Sev.’ Harry said quietly. Severus turned around and appraised the boy. 

‘What are you sorry for? You can’t help being poorly.’ The man sighed and once again sat in the armchair. 

‘For coming here and ruining your weekend. I should have just gone to Madam Pomphrey.’ 

‘When people are ill, they want to be in the comfort of their home and this is your home Harry, don’t apologise for coming here. As for ruining my weekend, this is what I am here for.’ The words were stated as facts and did not invite argument. 

‘What time is it?’ Harry asked with a yawn. 

‘It’s just gone half three’ Severus answered with a glance at an unseen clock. Harry widened his eyes in surprise and began to push himself up from where he lay but clutched his side with a gasp as sharp pain shot through his abdomen. Severus was by his side in a second. ‘What is it?’ he asked calmly. 

‘Agghhh, it hurts.’ Harry gasped. 

‘Where?’ Severus pushed Harry back down onto his back and tried to gently pry Harry’s hands away from his side. Gently he prodded Harry's stomach, as he lifted his fingers from the lower right side of the boy's abdomen Harry cried out in pain, twisting to the side as he heaved over the cauldron. With nothing left in his stomach the cauldron remained empty. Severus stayed by his side as the boy calmed down, before walking over to the fireplace and throwing in some floo powder. The flames turned green and Harry could hear Severus call out to Poppy. 

‘What exactly could you see on the tests?’ The man asked. 

‘Only the remaining injuries from the fall.’ the medi-witch answered in confusion. 

‘So inflammation in the organs on his right side?’

‘Yes, residual effects of the bludger that sent him off his broom, probably made worse by the fall down the stairs. Why?’ 

‘I think it’s his appendix.’ Severus stated. There was silence and then the shuffling of papers. 

‘Yes, trauma induced appendicitis, very likely. Bring him straight up won’t you.’ She ordered before the flames turned red and orange once again. 

From then on, things felt like a blur. Things moved quickly, Severus took Harry through a secret passageway that was hidden beneath a tapestry on the dungeon walls. It was a narrow stairwell that led directly into the hospital wing storeroom. Harry wasn’t sure how they made it, he was hunched over unable to straighten due to the pain and he had half his weight hanging on the shoulders of his guardian, the man certainly was strong. He was helped into a bed and sedated without hesitation. 

The next conscious thought Harry had was one of food, he was so hungry. Harry looked over at Severus Snape, his most hated teacher sitting there beside his hospital bed for the third time in nearly as many weeks and couldn’t help but think that for such a string of bad luck he was actually pretty fortunate. 

  
  



End file.
